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Both reminded me of the fact that the love of my life hadn’t left me because she wanted to, but because she felt the need to protect me. It had been an act of complete selflessness that only someone who loved me unconditionally would follow through with. And now she was back, with my son, and they needed me. They need me to be the father that Emerson nor I ever had.
My best friends, my brothers…had been there for me like we always had been, but this time they reminded me of the strength I had within myself and gave me the ability to get my shit together for my son and the girl I had always loved. The girl who had been through hell and back.
I smiled at how my night turned after that. Greyson gave me a ride up to his place, where I spent the rest of my day doing domesticated dad shit, and it had been the best night I’ve had in a very long time.
The music playing through my phone stops, drawing my attention to the screen. Colton’s name appears, and my gut churns with mixed emotions.
“There he is… I was about to bring my ass to Florida and hunt you down,” I tease my baby brother.
He lets out a deep laugh. “Bet. Well, you’ll have to forgive me. I was doing my good deed of the month and giving the freshmen ladies a true Florida State welcome.”
Now I’m the one laughing. “Oh, I can imagine.”
“Did you miss me and just want to hear my voice or what? If something was wrong, you’d send me an SOS text.”
“Everything is okay, but I do have some stuff to tell you. You by yourself?” I ask, trying to keep my voice even and reassuring.
Curiosity bleeds into his tone. “Yeah, my overnight guest is gone.”
I hesitate, a little unsure of how to say all this. “Are you sitting down?”
“What the fuck, Nox? Spit it out?” His concern outweighs his curiosity, so I decide to rip the band aid off.
“Emerson’s back.”
Now I’m greeted with silence. I give him a few more seconds and still nothing. “Colt, you there.”
“Um, yeah.” He pauses before asking, “She’s really there?”
“Yeah, and there’s more.”
“Is she okay?” he blurts out, and I hear his breathing change through the phone.
Even through all his anger, her well-being was always a concern for him.
“She is. It's a long story, but…” I swallow the lump in my throat. “Uh, you’re—you’re an uncle.”
“The fuck? Like, she had a kid?”
“Like she has a fourteen-month-old kid…and he’s mine, Colton.”
Another moment of silence.
“Hold the fuck up. Are you serious?” he questions in disbelief, and I can’t blame him. I felt the same way the first time I saw them together.
“Yes… I knew it the minute I saw him, but we also got the DNA results yesterday around lunch.” I think about Colton meeting him and know he’ll immediately see the resemblance, just like everyone else has. “He has our eyes.”
“Wh-why would she leave, then? Why did she keep this from you? That’s so fucked up.”
“That’s where it gets more complicated.” Now that I know everything, I feel extremely defensive over everyone’s judgment of Emerson. Even though less than twenty-four hours ago, I was her worst critic.
I proceed to tell my brother everything I know about the situation. Emerson gave me permission to do so if I felt like I could handle it, and I would rather put myself through it than her having to relive the trauma all over again.
All I hear are his rapid breaths for a few seconds before he speaks, distraught. “I’m coming home this weekend.”
“You just got there, and it's almost the first day of class.”
“I need to see her…” Just like when we were younger, the pain in his voice makes my chest physically hurt. I always wanted to protect him, my mom, Emerson…but this situation has taught me, no matter how hard you try, you can’t control everything.
